• Scholz's office on the messages that the Chancellor will bring to the Balkans (RTK)
• Kurti urges Greece to join other EU countries in recognising Kosovo (media)
• Kurti meets Abazovic in Davos (media)
• Vucic about Kurti: He will say terrible things about Serbia (media)
• Kosovo’s diplomatic corps visit Decan Monastery (media)
• Albania's ambassador to CoE: We will do all it takes to support Kosovo joining (Telegrafi)
• Muja: The north will begin paying electricity bills very soon (Koha)
• Police officer in the north arrested damaging evidence charges (media)
• Arrest warrant issued for former Kosovo Police senior official (Kosovapress)
• Petkovic brings Vucic’s message to Prizren, calls Kosovo "our province" (Klan)
• U.S. Begins Denying U.S. Entry to Afghans Housed on Military Base in Kosovo (WSJ)
• COVID-19: 12 new cases (media)

 

 

Scholz's office on the messages that the Chancellor will bring to the Balkans (RTK)

Ahead of the European Council meeting on June 23rd and 24th, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to visit the Western Balkans region, starting on June 10.

Chancellor Scholz's office recommends that in order to get an answer about his visit, one should now look at his speech in the Bundestag, on Thursday 19 May. "The fact that there are no shortcuts on the road to the EU is also a fair requirement for the six countries in the Western Balkans," Scholz was quoted as saying.

In that speech, Scholz had spoken in clear sentences about the six countries of the Western Balkans. In his address to the German parliament, according to Chancellor Scholz's Office, the latter was quoted as saying that "for years these six countries have undertaken intensive reforms and are preparing for membership."

"Keeping promises to them is not just a matter of our credibility. Now more than ever, their integration is also in our strategic interest," Scholz told German lawmakers. "It's not just about the security of this region, where foreign powers are fighting for influence, not least Russia."

Scholz had said that - "it is about our security, which cannot be such without a stable European Western Balkans. Therefore, the EU must now give this to the Western Balkans."

Asked by RTK about the possibility for Scholz to visit Kosovo and the topics he might discuss, the Office of the German Chancellor, noted that Chancellor’s statement of May 19 in the Bundestag should be taken into account. "And this is what I am committed to: holding talks to make progress in the negotiations and also removing the last obstacles within the EU, reviving the so-called 'Berlin Process', which strengthens regional co-operation between the six countries of the Western Balkans, and traveling to the region before the European Council meeting in June, with a clear message that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union," Scholz said in the speech to the Bundestag.

Kurti urges Greece to join other EU countries in recognising Kosovo (media)

Kosovo's Prime Minister spoke at the Greek House in the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos and spoke of deepening of cooperation between Kosovo and Greece.

"Geographical proximity with Greece and also the low cost of expenses compared to European Union countries makes Kosovo an attractive country for investments of Greek companies," Kurti said as quoted in a press release by the Government of Kosovo. He added that Kosovo hopes Greece will join other 22 EU countries in recognising independence of Kosovo as soon as possible.

Kurti meets Abazovic in Davos (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti met at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic. They discussed bilateral relations.

A press release issued by the Government of Kosovo states that Kurti and Abazovic spoke about facilitating freedom of movement of people and underlined the potential of cooperation in the service of greater socio-economic development and increase of investments. "They singled out joint infrastructure projects that connect Kosovo and Montenegro, such as the Decan-Plave and Peje-Rozhaje roads which will bring citizens closer and will help the economies of the two countries." They also discussed organising a joint meeting between the governments of Kosovo and Montenegro during this year.

Vucic about Kurti: He will say terrible things about Serbia (media)

The President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is participating at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti are set to attend a same panel discussion on Western Balkans today.

Asked about the meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, the President of Serbia said: "He will say terrible things about Serbia, I have already heard it 500 times. And that's all, that's his rhetoric. I will also speak harshly and that's all. It is important to me that I have had important meetings here and that everyone is looking at themselves, to see how they will overcome this crisis. These conversations are important to me."

Kosovo’s diplomatic corps visit Decan Monastery (media)

A group of ambassadors accredited in Kosovo visited yesterday the Orthodox Monastery in Decan.

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said on Twitter: "Delighted to join colleagues from Kosovo’s diplomatic corps on a visit to the beautiful, historic Decani Monastery.

Several media highlight that the visit comes days after Quint countries issued a statement calling on Kosovo authorities to implement the decision of the Constitutional Court and register land to the Monastery.

Albania's ambassador to CoE: We will do all it takes to support Kosovo joining (Telegrafi)

Dastid Koreshi, Albania's ambassador and representative to the Council of Europe told the news website that he will do all that is in his power to support Kosovo joining the organisation.

"The unconditional support of all initiatives of the Republic of Kosovo in the international arena has long been a consolidated part of Albania's foreign policy. Having said that, the initiative of the Republic of Kosovo to launch the membership procedure in the Council of Europe is definitely no exception," Koreshi said.

He explained that the bureau of the committee of ministers will be meeting on 31 May and set the agenda for the coming weeks. "At this time, there will be communications with the upcoming chair of the Committee of Ministers, which from 20 May is Ireland, as well as with the Secretariat of the Council of Europe to decide the date when Kosovo's request will be considered."

Muja: The north will begin paying electricity bills very soon (Koha)

Armend Muja, MP from the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), said that residents in the north of Kosovo are expected to begin paying their electricity bills very soon saying that an agreement is close.

"I don't want to disclose details because it is one of the agreements that will be reached more quickly and I believe the citizens in the north will begin to pay after almost a year of our efforts," Muja said.

Police officer in the north arrested on damaging evidence charges (media)

A police officer from the Rapid Reaction Unit - North, has been arrested on charges of damaging evidence from Tuesday’s action to destroy the drug laboratory in Izvor, Zvecan.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, announced that the arrest of the police officer was carried out by the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, and he was taken into custody. "Zero tolerance for crime, especially within the police! For clean police in the service of law and citizens! For an honest and professional police officer!" Svecla wrote on Facebook.

Arrest warrant issued for former Kosovo Police senior official (Kosovapress)

Kosovapress reported that the Basic Court in Mitrovica has issued an arrest warrant for former head of operations in the Kosovo Police, charged with abuse of official duty and obstruction of official procedure.

The former police official is alleged to have obstructed a police narcotics team in carrying out an operation in 2015 in the north of Kosovo. Kosovapress reports that the person in question has fled Kosovo two years ago and is believed to be in Serbia. Meanwhile, the website adds, the same person has been named by the U.S. Department of Treasury as member of organised crime groups.

Petkovic brings Vucic’s message to Prizren, calls Kosovo "our province" (Klan)

The director of Serbia's Government Office for Kosovo Petar Petkovic visited on Tuesday Orthodox religious sites and met with pilgrims in Prizren. Together with the religious clergy and the minister in the Kosovo government Goran Rakic, he walked through the historic city of Kosovo.

"I bring you the greetings of President Vucic, who fights every day for our people to remain in Kosovo, but also to protect our interests in our province. We are insisting in Brussels, and we are looking for dialogue and coexistence that we need very much, as well as a compromise solution that will be the foundation of reconciliation between Albanians and Serbs," he said.

Petkovic received the permit of the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a two-day visit to Kosovo after being rejected for a long time.

U.S. Begins Denying U.S. Entry to Afghans Housed on Military Base in Kosovo (WSJ)

The State Department has started to inform some of the Afghans housed for months at a military base in Kosovo that they won’t be allowed to enter the U.S.

The U.S. sent Afghans—many accompanied by spouses and children—to the base in Kosovo after they were flagged for additional screening during the vetting process following their evacuation from Kabul last year. Family members who already have green cards or U.S. citizenship are free to leave on their own if they want, but many have chosen to stay together.

Read more at: https://on.wsj.com/3lHWCds

COVID-19: 12 new cases (media)

12 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. There are 148 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.